Washington: An American newspaper has unveiled growing concerns within Washington that Israel might opt to strike Iran unannounced, even in the event of an agreement being reached between Tehran and the United States. This revelation comes amid assessments indicating that Israel’s preparations for an assault on Iran could take as little as seven hours.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, The New York Times reported that Israeli officials have conveyed to the American side that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may decide to attack Iran, irrespective of any agreement between Tehran and Washington. The newspaper highlighted that Israel had been planning an attack on Iranian nuclear sites this month, but former President Donald Trump opposed the move, advocating for continued negotiations with Iran instead.

The report further detailed Netanyahu’s position, as he reportedly told Trump that Iran’s current state of vulnerability would not persist and that the timing was opportune for a military strike. However, Trump communicated to Netanyahu that Iran’s weakness provided a strategic opportunity to forge an agreement aimed at terminating all Iranian uranium enrichment activities.

The New York Times also underscored Israeli apprehensions regarding Trump’s potential willingness to allow Iran, under any agreement, to maintain uranium enrichment facilities. This concern adds a layer of complexity to the ongoing diplomatic negotiations.

Furthermore, the newspaper disclosed that US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, during his discussions with Iran, had reconsidered his earlier stance against forming an interim understanding as a preliminary framework towards a comprehensive agreement.

Additionally, the report mentioned that Washington is in talks with the Sultanate of Oman to explore the possibility of establishing a collaborative regional initiative to produce nuclear reactor fuel for multiple countries in the region, including Iran, with partial involvement from the United States.